Gov’t allocates VND5.1 trillion more for COVID-19 fight

The Government has decided to allocate an additional VND5.1 trillion to purchase medical equipment, biological products, chemicals and medicines for COVID-19 prevention and control.

Disinfecting major streets in HCM City - the largest coronavirus hotspot in Vietnam.

The Government has decided to allocate an additional VND5.1 trillion to purchase medical equipment, biological products, chemicals and medicines for COVID-19 prevention and control.

Under a decision signed by Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai on August 1, the sum will be sourced from the State budget reserves.

The Ministry of Health has been required to use the funds in accordance with the developments of the pandemic prevention and control work in each period.

In late June the Government also allocated VND7.65 trillion for the Ministry of Health to purchase 30 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and 31 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

Vietnam is battling with the fourth wave of COVID-19, with the virus spreading to 62 out of 63 cities and provinces across the country.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has called on Vietnamese people no matter where they live to join hands to bring the latest outbreak under control.

As of 06.00am on August 2, Vietnam has logged 153672 new cases following the resurgence of the virus in late April, and 157,507 cases since the start of the first outbreak in the country in January 2020.